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fjtorres · 09-10-2012, 06:54 PM

I'm not sure Amazon doing *one* premium model alongside three value models means they've gone Boutique.
To me it means they don't expect the LTE model to sell enough to get a particularly high volume on the custom modem chip. That quoted price is for a generic (thicker) chip that is produced in very high volumes, not Amazon's custom chip. Which hasn't been FCC-approved yet.
I see the LTE FIRE as akin to the Dodge Viper or Chevy Corvette, a "Halo" product intended for low volumes with low-volume pricing just to show they can play with the "big boys", tech-wise. Think of it as a shot across Apple's bow; "We're closer to you than you like to think."

If you're a value buyer and $499 offends you, that is fine; the product is not meant for you anyway. (You wouldn't be dropping $499 or higher on an iPad anyway.)

09-10-2012, 06:54 PM	#36
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	I'm not sure Amazon doing one premium model alongside three value models means they've gone Boutique. To me it means they don't expect the LTE model to sell enough to get a particularly high volume on the custom modem chip. That quoted price is for a generic (thicker) chip that is produced in very high volumes, not Amazon's custom chip. Which hasn't been FCC-approved yet. I see the LTE FIRE as akin to the Dodge Viper or Chevy Corvette, a "Halo" product intended for low volumes with low-volume pricing just to show they can play with the "big boys", tech-wise. Think of it as a shot across Apple's bow; "We're closer to you than you like to think." If you're a value buyer and $499 offends you, that is fine; the product is not meant for you anyway. (You wouldn't be dropping $499 or higher on an iPad anyway.)